The Philosopher's Stone
by Half-a-bottle-Pepsi
Summary: T for language, just in case, no romance. Trio? What trio? Introducing the people who will come to be known as the Golden Quartet: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Bambi Wilkes. But that is much, much later. For now, they are just four eleven-year-olds, beginning the adventure of a lifetime. Hogwarts. First year
1. Prologue

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.

Harry nodded.

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"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard – I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

She said this all very fast.

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Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron – Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.

Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk into Goyle's knuckle – Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in, followed by a new girl. The new girl was short, shorter than Harry, who'd always been small for his age, with frizzy blonde curls and a long nose.

"What _has_ been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail. The new girl surveyed the scene in silent confusion.

"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No – I don't believe it – he's gone back to sleep."

And so he had.

"You've met Malfoy before?"

"Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.

"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione, looking confused as the blonde girl giggled. "Can we help you with something? And who are you?"

"I'm Bambi Wilkes, and you just made a Star Wars reference. _Come to the Dark Side,"_ she said dramatically, breathing loudly. Hermione's eyes widened and the two of them laughed together. Harry and Ron watched on, confused. What was Star Wars? It sounded like a movie to Harry, perhaps he'd even heard of it, although he'd never seen it.

"Can we help you?" Ron repeated, annoyed. Hermione was the one who answered.

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, we've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"Alright – I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Ron glared at her as she left. Bambi lingered in the doorway, smiling crookedly at them. "It's actually quite fun, racing down the halls" she informed them, before turning on her heel and leaving. Harry peered out the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

**Okay, so there's the prologue! Sorry about the line breaks – I can never figure out how to do them so that they show up on ff. I don't usually do Author's Notes, but I felt I had to apologize – I know it looks atrocious. I really am sorry!**

** I've almost finished the first book now, it takes directly from the book so it's more like an edit that includes my character. As soon as they start to become friends, Bambi will have more of an effect on the situations around her. For now, she's just sort of there. I'd love comments, so, yeah? **


	2. Sorting, Potions, and Hagrid's Hut

"Well, done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley pompously across Harry as "Wilkes, Bambi" was called. Bambi walked up to the stool, shying away from the eyes of the people in the hall. A small smile appeared on her face, however, once the hat was placed on her head. Harry thought it looked like they were having a nice chat, from the look of relaxed concentration on Bambi's face, and after a moment "GRYFFINDOR" was shouted out for the hall to hear.

Bambi walked hurriedly to the Gryffindor table but slowed as she neared it, searching out a place to sit. Eventually she must have spotted someone she knew, as she shuffled down the table and awkwardly muttered something to another first year, who smiled kindly at her and nodded, moving over so she could take a seat.

After "Zabini, Blaise" was made a Slytherin, Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.

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"You – Potter – why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

This was so unfair that Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked him behind their cauldron.

"Don't push it," he muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."

That was clear enough. However, when Bambi Wilkes, tired-looking and slightly sweaty but with a proud grin on her round face, turned in her potion, Snape did the most surprising thing. The corners of his lips twitched, almost as if he wanted to smile – or scowl, which would have been less terrifying a thought – and he _awarded_ her _five points_. For a perfect potion.

"Thank you, sir!" Bambi beamed, practically skipping back to her seat.

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When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "_Back_, Fang – _back_."

Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open. Harry was surprised to see Bambi peering around the giant man.

"Hang on," Hagrid said. "_Back_, Fang."

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yourselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.

"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes and cookies onto a plate. Once Fang was finished his inspection of Ron's ears, he leapt over to where Bambi was sitting and put his head in her lap. She stroked his head softly, making the great dog whine, pleased.

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. "I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest. An' you'll know Bambi, I 'spect? She made them cookies, got the talent from 'er da. Right potions master in the making, she is." Bambi ducked her head.

The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them along with the (surprisingly delicious) cookies as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.

Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her – Filch puts her up to it."

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.

"But he seemed to really _hate_ me."

"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"

Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot – great with animals."

Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry looked at Bambi. She only seemed to be half-listening, and hadn't really contributed much to the conversation.

"How do you know Hagrid?" he asked her. She looked up, startled, but dropped her eyes as soon as they made contact with his.

"My Da works at the apothecary," Bambi answered. "Hagrid gets potions for his garden or for the animals there. They talk, and, well, I've been spending time in the shop since I was old enough to know not to touch anything, so I've met him a fair few times."

She didn't say anything else after that, and Harry didn't really have a response, so he picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. It was a cutting from the _Daily Prophet:_

_GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST_

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown._

_Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied that day._

"_But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon._

Harry remembered Ron telling him on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.

"Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. He grunted and offered him another rock cake while Bambi furrowed her brows curiously. Harry read the story again. _The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day._ Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?

As Harry and Ron (with Bambi a little ways ahead of them; boy did she walk fast) walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Harry thought that none of the lessons he'd had so far had given him as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. Had Hagrid collected that package just in time? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Harry?


	3. Flying and a Midnight Duel

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought _you'd_ like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"You take that back," spat Bambi Wilkes, shoving her way towards the taller girl. A furious frown was etched into her face. "Neville's _not _a crybaby. How'd you like it if _your_ wrist was broken, _Pansy_?"

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.

Malfoy smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find – how about – up a tree?"

"Give it _here_!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he _could_ fly well. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom.

"_No!" _shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move – you'll get us all into trouble."

Harry ignored her. Blood was pounding in his ears. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared; air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him – and in a rush of fierce joy he realized he'd found something he could do without being taught – this was easy, this was _wonderful_. He pulled his broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron. "What an idiot," Bambi said loudly, sighing.

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"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.

"I'd take you anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only – no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

"Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

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"Half-past eleven," Ron muttered at last, "we'd better go."

They pulled on their dressing gowns, picked up their wands, and crept across the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the Gryffindor common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. They had almost reached the portrait hole when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."

A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink dressing gown and a frown.

_"You!"_ said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy – he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

Harry couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering.

"Put a stop to what?" a new voice cut in sleepily. Bambi Wilkes stood at the bottom of the girl's dorms staircase, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. Harry thought she looked like a sleepy toddler. There were shining streaks painted down her cheeks.

Hermione turned toward the girl, with a concerned frown, and opened her mouth, probably to question her. Bambi gave her an indecipherable stare, so Hermione switched back to her anger at the two boys. "These _idiots_ are going to duel Malfoy when they should be in bed!"

Bambi was silent for a moment. "Oh," she said quietly. Something flashed in her eyes – something almost _hurt_. Was that her lip trembling?

"Come on," he said to Ron. He pushed open the portrait of the Far Lady and climbed through the hole.

Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose. Bambi followed silently.

"Don't you _care_ about Gryffindor, do you _only_ care about yourselves, _I _don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells. And what about Bambi, she got points from _Snape_ of all people, what about those, do you really want to lose _those?_"

"Go away."

"All right, come on Bambi, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so –"

But what they were, they didn't find out. Hermione and Bambi had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found themselves facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a nighttime visit and the two girls were locked out of Gryffindor tower.

"Now what are we going to do?" Hermione asked shrilly.

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them, dragging a pale Bambi with her. Bambi didn't seem to like being in the empty corridors very much, her eyes darted about, taking in every shadowy corner and crevice.

"We're coming with you," Hermione said.

"You are _not_."

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all four of us I'll tell him the truth, that we were trying to stop you, and you can back me up."

"You've got some nerve –" said Ron loudly.

"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply, as Bambi whimpered. "I heard something."

It was a sort of snuffling. Bambi clutched Hermione's arm. Hermione clutched right back, though she wasn't nearly as white-faced as the other girl.

"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.

It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville. He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed."

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."

"How's your arm?" said Harry.

"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good – well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later –"

"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet with Bambi's help, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already." Bambi shivered noticeably.

Ron looked at his watch then glared furiously at Hermione, Bambi and Neville.

"If any of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.

They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn Harry expected to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.

Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Bambi reached out a shaking hand to trace the cold walls of the cases. She seemed to be searching for something. Harry took out his wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once. The minutes crept by.

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.

Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak – and it wasn't Malfoy.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-struck, Harry waved madly at the other four to follow him as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."

"This way!" Harry mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run – he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armor, making Bambi squeak with fright.

The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, and the five of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following – they swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Harry in the lead, without any idea where they were or where they were going – they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering.

"I – _told _– you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I – told – you."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."

"You don't say?" Bambi asked sarcastically. The others looked at her in shock. It was the first time she'd spoken since the common room. She shook her head, muttering, "Really – idiots. Uncle Wilbur woulda . . . Midnight duels . . . first years . . . _idiots_."

Hermione was the first one to snap out of the temporary shock. "Malfoy tricked you," she said to Harry. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you – Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

Harry thought she was probably right, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

"Let's go."

It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.

It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, Peeves – please – you'll get us thrown out."

Peeves cackled.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves – this was a big mistake.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door – and it was locked.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!"

"You two are so _dead_," growled Bambi. "I'll kill you myself if the teachers don't. Stupid, stupid, stupid . . ."

She trailed off. They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves's shouts.

"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, _"Alohomora!" _

The lock clicked and the door swung open – they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.

"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please.'"

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now _where did they go?"_

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right – _please_."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay – get _off_, Neville!" For Nevile had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute. "_What_?"

Harry turned around, ignoring Bambi's muttered "don't yell at him" – and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, he was sure he'd walked into a nightmare – this was too much, on top of everything that had happened so far.

They weren't in a room, as he had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.

They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.

It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant. Bambi let out a strangled sound, halfway between a whimper and a quiet scream, eyes wide.

Harry groped for the doorknob – between Filch and death, he'd take Filch.

They fell backward – Harry slammed the door shut, and they ran, they almost flew, back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they hardly cared – all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible between them and that monster. They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their dressing gowns hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.

"Never mind that – pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry, and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.

It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, and even Bambi, indeed, looked as if they'd never speak again.

"What do you think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

"Oh, ha ha. You're so funny, Weasley. Smart, too, the both of you," said Bambi, getting her sarcasm back. Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again.

"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."

"No, _not_ the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."

She stood up, glaring at them. The look she gave Bambi told her that she hadn't forgotten about earlier, and that they were going to talk eventually.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed – or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Ron stared after her, his mouth open.

"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you?" Bambi slapped him hard across the back of the head, standing and reaching across to do the same to Harry on her way to the dormitory.

Despite the pain in his head (Bambi could be _violent_ when she wanted), Hermione had given Harry something else to think about as he climbed back into bed. The dog was guarding something. . . . What had Hagrid said? Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide – except perhaps Hogwarts.

It looked as though Harry had found out where the grubby little package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.

**Ack! Sorry that was so long. The Midnight Duel chapter is the first one where Bambi takes a bigger part than just being mentioned or only for a brief time. I hope you enjoyed!**


	4. The Broomstick

Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Harry and Ron were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful. Indeed, by the next morning Harry and Ron thought that meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen to have another one. In the meantime, Harry filled Ron in about the package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.

"Or both," said Harry.

But as all they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it was about two inches long, they didn't have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues.

Neither Neville nor Hermione and Bambi showed the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. All Neville cared about was never going near the dog again. Bambi was furious at them, whether for the whole debacle and the fact that she was there for it or for them 'being stupid enough' to actually go to the duel-that-never-happened, they did not know. She did not want to meet the dog again either.

Hermione was now refusing to speak to Harry and Ron, but she was such a bossy know-it-all that they saw this as an added bonus. All they really wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and to their great delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. Harry was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel, and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it right in front of him, knocking his bacon to the floor. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel.

Harry ripped open the letter first, which was lucky, because it said:

_DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE._

_It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session._

_Professor M. McGonagall_

Harry had difficulty hiding his glee as he handed the note to Ron to read.

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even _touched_ one."

They left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from Harry and felt it.

"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."

Ron couldn't resist it.

"It's not any old broomstick," he said, "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.

"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked.

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.

"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir," said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," he added.

Harry and Ron headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion.

"Well, it's true," Harry chortled as they reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team. . . ."

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" came an angry voice from just behind them. Hermione was stomping up the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hand.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.

"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."

Hermione marched away with her nose in the air.

"That's not very nice." The words came from the direction Hermione had gone. It was Bambi, with her hands on her hips.

"Why should we be nice to her?" Ron said. "She's such a bossy know-it-all."

"You don't have to be rude to her face," she retorted, frowning. It was the sort of frown that made Harry feel really guilty. He pushed it away, though. "What would your mother say about that, Ronald Weasley?"

Ron's ears turned red. "Shove off," he muttered.

Bambi also looked at Harry's broomstick disapprovingly. "That's not really fair, is it?" she asked rhetorically. She furrowed her eyebrows thoughtfully. "Or safe."

"How so?" Harry said, confused.

"Well, first years aren't allowed brooms. Special circumstances – that's basically favoritism. Why should they bend the rules for you?"

"He's Harry Potter," Ron interrupted. Bambi narrowed her eyes at him, hearing the 'duh' tone in his voice. "And he's _good_."

"—and that's definitely favoritism. Don't you always complain about Snape favoring the Slytherins?" They had no response for that. "And first years aren't allowed brooms for a reason. There can be a lot of injuries in Quidditch – you are up in the air, after all. Even with magic, that would be painful, wouldn't it?"

"It's Quidditch," Ron said, rather loudly. "It's worth it. And Harry's great."

Bambi huffed and stalked away, muttering, "Ridiculous boys . . . won't see sense . . . "


	5. Halloween

Perhaps it was because he was now so busy, what with Quidditch practice three evenings a week on top of all his homework, but Harry could hardly believe it when he realized that he'd already been at Hogwarts two months. The castle felt more like home that Privet Drive ever had. His lessons, too, were becoming more and more interesting now that they had mastered the basics.

On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Harry's partner was Seamus Finnigan (which was a relief, because Neville had been trying to catch his eye; Neville was partnered with Bambi, who Harry felt bad for, although she looked perfectly content with this). Ron, however, was to be working with Hermione Granger. It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to either of them since the day Harry's broomstick arrived.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too – never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

It was very difficult. Harry and Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it – Harry had to put it out with his hat. Bambi giggled slightly at that two tables over, which was strange – she didn't seem the type of girl to giggle, from his encounters with her.

Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.

_"Wingardium Leviosa!"_ he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong," Harry heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-_gar_-dium Levi-_o_-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

"Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, _"Wingardium Leviosa!"_

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of class.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Harry as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly."

Bambi Wilkes, who'd been sort of following some other first years on their way to next class and listening to their chatter, stopped short. She turned to them with a livid expression and an open mouth, which closed with a snap at something she saw over their shoulders. Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. Harry caught a glimpse of her face – and was startled to see that she was in tears.

"I think she heard you."

"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. Although that might have been from Bambi's guilt-inducing frown as she stalked over to them. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

"Ronald Weasley you insufferable _git_!" Bambi yelled at him. "Are you happy now? You just made someone cry! It's a wonder how anyone can stand _you_!" She clenched her fists, as if trying to restrain herself from hitting the pair of them (for once). Harry actually felt a little scared of the short girl. Bambi ran off, leaving the Harry and Ron standing there.

Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Harry and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Apparently Bambi heard this too, as she abruptly turned tail and walked quickly away. Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out of their minds.

A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.

Harry was just helping himself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll – in the dungeons – thought you ought to know."

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Percy was in his element.

"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.

"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."

They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions. As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Harry suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.

"I've just thought – Hermione and Bambi."

"What about 'em?"

"They don't know about the troll."

Ron bit his lip.

"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."

Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick foorsteps behind them.

"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Harry behind a large stone griffin.

Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.

"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"

"Search me."

Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.

"He's heading for the third floor," Harry said, but Ron held up his hand.

"Can you smell something?"

Harry sniffed and a foul stench reached his nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.

And then they heard it – a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed – at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving toward them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.

It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.

"The key's in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."

"Good idea," said Ron nervously.

They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Harry managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.

_"Yes!"_

Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts stop – a high, petrified scream and a distantly familiar strangled sound – and it was coming from the chamber they'd just chained up.

"Oh, no," said Ron, pale as the Blooky Baron.

"It's the girls' bathroom!" Harry gasped.

_"Hermione! Bambi!"_ they said together.

It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have? Wheeling around, they sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic. Harry pulled the door open and they ran inside.

Hermione Granger and Bambi Wilkes were shrinking against the wall opposite, Bambi clutching Hermione's arm like she had the night of the duel-that-didn't-happen, looking as if they were about to faint. The troll was advancing on them, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.

"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.

The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione and Bambi. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.

"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and passed again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.

"Come on, run, _run!"_ Harry yelled at the two girls, trying to pull Hermione toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror. Bambi had actually slumped into the floor, and Harry thought she had fainted, but another strangled sound slipped from her mouth and her eyes were wide.

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.

Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped – it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.

Hermione had sunk to the floor next to Bambi in fright, holding the girl's limp hand tightly; Ron pulled out his own wand – not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: _"Wingardium Leviosa!"_

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over – and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.

It was Hermione who spoke first.

"Is it – dead?"

"I don't think so," said Harry, "I think it's just been knocked out. Is Bambi okay?"

"I think she's just shocked," Hermione answered. She gently heaved the wide-eyed girl into a sitting position. "Bambi? Bambi, are you okay?"

Harry bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue.

"Urgh – troll bogies."

He wiped it on the troll's trousers.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racked they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrel bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry. Harry had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white. Hopes of winning fifty points for Gryffindor faded quickly from Harry's mind.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. Harry looked at the floor. He wished Ron would put his wand down.

"Please Professor McGonagall – they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.

"I went—"

"To the bathroom." Behind Hermione, Bambi struggled to rise, hand on her forehead. She was pale, and spoke slowly as if she had trouble forming the words.

"To the bathroom?" Professor McGonagall asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, yes," Hermione quickly continued for Bambi. "Before the feast, Bambi and I made a stop in the bathroom."

Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher?

"If they hadn't found us, we'd be dead by now."

"Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club," Bambi added. "They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone."

"It was about to finish me off, and would've gotten Bambi next, when they arrived."

Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.

"Well – in that case . . ." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for not being at the feast on time or informing a prefect of where you were."

Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything to lose house points, and here she was, doing it willingly, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started handing out sweets.

"Miss Granger, please help Miss Wilkes to the Hospital Wing, she looks positively green. Then if you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione and Bambi left.

Professor McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else.

"We should have gotten more than ten points," Ron grumbled.

"Five, you mean, once she's taken of the girls'."

"Good of them to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we _did_ save them."

"They might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with them," Harry reminded him.

They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Pig snout," they said and entered.

The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Hermione and Bambi (who was looking considerably less green), however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried off to get plates.

But from that moment on, Hermione Granger and Bambi Wilkes became their friends. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.


	6. The Staffroom and Quidditch

Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry and Ron had saved her and Bambi from the mountain troll, and she was much nicer for it. The day before Harry's first Quidditch match the four of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Harry noticed at once that Snape was limping. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Bambi moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces (save Bambi's, she was a fair actor) caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"

It was _Quidditch Through the Ages_. Harry showed him.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly. Bambi smacked him on the back of the head fondly.

**HP1HP1HP1HP1HP**

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Bambi sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Harry and Ron's Charms homework for them while Bambi doodled on a piece of scrap parchment. She would never let them copy ("How will you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right answers anyway.

Harry felt restless. He wanted _Quidditch Through the Ages _back, to take his mind off his nerves about tomorrow. Why should he be afraid of Snape? Getting up, he told Ron, Hermione, and Bambi he was going to ask Snape if he could have it.

"Better you than me," Ron and Hermione said together, but Harry had an idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening. Bambi offered to go with him, and he accepted; she was possibly the only Gryffindor student Snape could stand (nobody would say like, because Snape just didn't like Gryffindors).

They made their way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer. Harry knocked again. Nothing.

Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. Against Bambi's advice, he pushed the door ajar and peered inside – and a horrible scene met his eyes. Bambi held back a horrified gasp as she stood on tiptoe and craned her neck over Harry's head.

Snape and Filch were inside, alone. Snape was holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.

"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but –

"POTTER!"

Snape's face twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Bambi ducked behind Harry, who gulped.

"I just wondered if I could have my book back."

"GET OUT! _OUT!"_

Harry and Bambi left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. They sprinted back upstairs.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as the two out-of-breath friends joined them. "What's the matter?"

In a low whisper, Harry told them what they'd seen.

"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him – he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick _he_ let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

Hermione's eyes were wide.

"No – he wouldn't," she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron.

"But he _wouldn't_ – he's been a teacher here for some ten years now," Bambi interrupted. "If he wasn't trustworthy, Dumbledore would know by now."

"I'm still with Harry. I wouldn't put it past Snape. But what's he after? What's the dog guarding?"

Harry went to bed with his head buzzing with the same question. Neville was snoring loudly, but Harry couldn't sleep. He tried to empty his mind – he needed to sleep, he had to, he had his first Quidditch match in a few hours – but the expression on Snape's face when Harry and Bambi had seen his leg wasn't easy to forget.

**HP1HP1HP1HP1HP**

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"You've got to eat some breakfast."

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.

"I'm not hungry.

Harry felt terrible. In an hour's time he'd be walking onto the field.

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages. Bambi smacked Seamus across the head, muttering something about stupid boys. Harry was beginning to think that was a hobby of hers, hitting people.

**HP1HP1HP1HP1HP**

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Ron, Hermione, and Bambi joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Bambi doodled little cartoon Harry faces all over the empty spaces. Then Hermione performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors.

Meanwhile, in the locker room, Harry and the rest of the team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing in green).

**HP1HP1HP1HP1HP**

"GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!"

Ron, Hermione, and Bambi squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them. Hermione was practically in Bambi's lap, her hair obscuring the shorter girl's vision.

"You need to have less hair, Hermione," Bambi moaned, "I can't see!"

"Sorry," Hermione muttered, pushing her bushy mane over one shoulder so Bambi could peek over the other.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.

"For Harry?" Bambi snorted. "That's nothing short of a miracle. I bet you've just jinxed it."

**So, we're probably a third of the way through the book right now. Hopefully I'll be able to update regularly – these past chapters have been sitting on my laptop for a while now, that's why they're all going up at once. Also, the second book will probably focus more on Bambi and her point of view. Not first person, but the way JK Rowling does it in the books. But again, that's hopefully.**


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